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The artist himself admits that his works are designed to elicit as rich a source of associations, thoughts and experiences as possible in the inner world of the viewer. One such key capable of unlocking the vast spaces of the imagination is a monumental assemblage in the shape of a garment sewn from various pieces of cloth covered with moss, lichen and other plants. The association of an absent human figure of gigantic proportions, suggested by the shape of the garment, with the purely natural, unrefined texture of the moss patches, their tactile quality provoking a desire for physical contact, is evocative of a mysterious realm between the human and the non-human, represented in our cultures by wild men, hermits and forest dwellers. It is a place of solitude, a place where we face our selves and where we are confronted with the wild, untamed depths of our own existence, which under any other circumstances are all but buried in the rubble of the everyday. It is a profound experience, one which shows us that we must seek knowledge in borderline places and with full awareness of our bodies.
About the artist
František Skála studied woodcarving at the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Prague (1971–1975) and film and television graphic design at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (1976–1982). He is a founding member of Tvrdohlaví (The Stubborn Group; 1987–1991) and a member of the secret organization B.K.S. (since 1974, the abbreviation stands for “The End Will Come”). His broad creative scope extends beyond the visual arts; he is a signer and musician with MTO Universal Praha and the Finnish Baroque band. He is a member of Sklep Theatre and the Tros Sketos vocal dance trio. In addition to film and theatre work, he has also co-authored several architectural projects, including e.g. the renowned interior of Akropolis Palace in Prague. He has illustrated over twenty books, many of which have won prestigious awards (Most Beautiful Czech Book of the Year award: 1984, 1989; IBBY Certificate of Honour for Illustrations: 1989, 2002, 2010; BIB Golden Apple: 2009). He has participated in over 140 collective and 50 solo exhibitions at home and abroad. In 1991 he won the Jindřich Chalupecký Award and the Arte Giovani di Europa Award. Two years later he went on to represent the Czech Republic at the 45th Venice Biennale. In 2010, he received the Ministry of Culture Award for his contribution to the visual arts.
František Skála’s works are included in the following collections:
Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague
National Gallery in Prague
Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region in Prague
Olomouc Museum of Art
Museum of Contemporary Arts, Sydney
North Bohemian Gallery of Fine Arts in Litoměřice
Benedikt Rejt Gallery – Louny
Regional Art Gallery Liberec
Gallery Klatovy Klenová
Moravian Gallery in Brno
Karlovy Vary Art Gallery
Gallery of Modern Art Roudnice nad Labem
Prague City Gallery
Provenance
Acquired from the artist.